Disabled Facilities Grant for Energy Adaptations in Lancashire

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) provides up to £30,000 in England for home adaptations that help disabled people live safely and comfortably. While most people associate the DFG with stairlifts and wet rooms, it can also fund heating upgrades, insulation improvements, and energy adaptations that address the specific needs of disabled residents who are vulnerable to cold. GOV.UK lists providing a heating system suitable for your needs, and adapting heating controls so they’re easier to use, among the work it can pay for (GOV.UK).

What Is the Disabled Facilities Grant for Energy Adaptations?

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a means-tested local authority grant of up to £30,000 in England (£36,000 in Wales) for home adaptations that help disabled or elderly residents live independently. While traditionally used for access improvements such as stairlifts and wet rooms, some Lancashire councils now approve DFG funding for energy-related adaptations including heating system upgrades, insulation and improved ventilation where these directly address a health condition aggravated by cold or damp.

Eligibility is assessed by an occupational therapist or trained assessor, plus a financial means test for adults. Applications go through your local council: in Lancashire, this is your district council such as Lancaster, Wyre or Burnley. The DFG can sit alongside other funding that pays for different work. In England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund insulation or a heat pump for eligible households in homes rated EPC D to G, so a disabled homeowner might get accessible heating controls through the DFG and loft insulation through the Local Grant. ECO4 is an option only until it ends on 31 December 2026 (Ofgem).

What Energy Adaptations the DFG Can Fund

The DFG can fund adaptations that are necessary and appropriate for the disabled person’s needs. Where a disability makes someone particularly vulnerable to cold, or where inadequate heating or insulation creates health risks, energy-related work can be included. Examples of qualifying energy adaptations include:

• Heating system upgrades – Replacing an inadequate or broken heating system with a more efficient one, including boiler replacement or heat pump installation where appropriate.
• Extended heating – Adding radiators or heating to rooms that currently lack it, such as a downstairs room being converted for bedroom use because the disabled person can no longer manage stairs.
• Insulation improvements – Where poor insulation directly impacts the disabled person’s health and comfort, particularly in homes where the person spends most of their time due to limited mobility.
• Heating controls – Smart thermostats, accessible heating controls, and zone heating that allows the disabled person to control their environment independently.
• Draught-proofing and window improvements – Where draughts or cold spots create discomfort or health risks specific to the disabled person’s condition.

The main requirement is demonstrating that the adaptation is necessary because of the disability. A general desire to improve energy efficiency is not enough – there must be a link between the disabled person’s needs and the proposed work.

Who Qualifies for the DFG in Lancashire

The DFG is available to disabled people of all ages, including children. To qualify, you must have a disability that makes adaptations necessary. This includes physical disabilities, sensory impairments, mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and chronic health conditions that are worsened by inadequate housing conditions.

For adults, the DFG is means-tested. Your income and savings are assessed, and you may be asked to contribute towards the cost of the work if your financial resources exceed certain thresholds. Grants for disabled children aren’t means-tested on their parents’ income, so the full grant is available regardless of household income.

Both homeowners and tenants can apply. If you rent your home, you need your landlord’s permission for the work, and the landlord may be asked to contribute if the property is in poor condition due to their failure to maintain it.

The DFG is administered by your local district council in Lancashire. Each council has a housing team or home improvement agency that handles applications. The council must give you a decision within six months of your application, and the work should normally be finished within 12 months of approval.

How to Apply in Lancashire

The application process involves several steps:

Step 1: Contact your council. Call or email the housing team at your Lancashire district council. Explain that you are a disabled resident who needs home adaptations. They will begin the assessment process. Councils in Lancashire that process DFG applications include Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, and Wyre.

Step 2: Occupational therapy assessment. An occupational therapist (OT) from Lancashire County Council (or the unitary authority for Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool) visits your home to assess your needs. The OT determines which adaptations are necessary and appropriate for your disability. For energy-related adaptations, the OT must confirm that the heating or insulation issue directly impacts your health or wellbeing due to your disability.

Step 3: Means test. For adult applicants, the council assesses your income and savings. People getting Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), Income Support, income-based JSA or income-related ESA are automatically passported through the means test (no contribution required). Other applicants may need to contribute depending on their financial circumstances.

Step 4: Quotations and approval. The council obtains quotations from qualified contractors for the recommended work. Once the costs are confirmed and the means test is complete, the council issues a formal grant approval. Grant amounts vary by local authority.

Step 5: Work and payment. The qualified contractor carries out the work. The council pays the contractor directly from the grant. You pay any assessed contribution directly to the council or contractor.

Combining the DFG With Other Energy Grants

The DFG can be combined with other funding sources to deliver a more comprehensive package of improvements. For example, a disabled Lancashire resident might receive DFG funding for accessible heating controls and a suitable heating system, with loft and cavity wall insulation funded through the Warm Homes: Local Grant if the household qualifies. Each scheme has its own rules on combining, though: the Boiler Upgrade Scheme won’t pay towards a heat pump that other government funding has already paid for, and ECO4 money can’t be blended with other government grants on the same project. Ask the council’s adaptations team to check before any work starts.

Some Lancashire councils also have discretionary top-up funds for cases where the DFG maximum of £30,000 is insufficient, or where additional energy-related work would benefit the resident but falls outside the strict DFG criteria. Ask your council about any discretionary funding available in your area.

Lancashire Council DFG Contact Information

Contact your district council’s housing adaptations team or home improvement agency. Most Lancashire councils also work with Care and Repair services or home improvement agencies that can guide you through the entire process, from initial enquiry to completed work.

If you are unsure which council to contact, Lancashire County Council’s adult social care team can direct you to the right service. For Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool residents, these unitary authorities handle DFG applications directly through their own housing teams.

Many Lancashire residents find the DFG process lengthy and bureaucratic. Having a support worker, family member, or citizens advice worker help with the application can speed things up and ensure all the necessary information is provided at each stage.

How long does a DFG application take in Lancashire?

It varies by council and by how complex the adaptation is. The council must give you a decision within six months of a full application, and the work should normally be finished within 12 months of approval, although the council can agree an extension. Some councils have faster turnaround than others.

Do I have to repay the DFG?

For grants up to £5,000, no repayment is required. If you own the home and the grant is over £5,000, the council can place a local land charge on the property of up to £10,000. If you sell within 10 years, the council decides whether to ask for some or all of that back, taking your circumstances into account. The charge does not require monthly repayments – it only becomes relevant if you sell.

Can a carer apply for the DFG on behalf of a disabled person?

Yes. A family member, carer, or representative can make the initial enquiry and support the application process. The assessment and means test are based on the disabled person’s needs and finances, but the practical legwork of applying can be done by anyone acting on their behalf with appropriate consent.